WESSEX LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION
WEDNESDAY 11TH DECEMBER 2013
CHRISTCHURCH 5 VERWOOD TOWN 2

15 seconds only had elapsed when Christchurch whipped a shot from the edge of the area that luckily inched over the bar.

It took a couple of minutes before we reacted and it was an Evans cross that forced a corner. Webb connected but his header was cleared high up the pitch. Oldring got underneath it and gave Hill a chance to run at the Christchurch defence. A strong tackle just outside the box stopped progress.

8 minutes gone and a 30 yard cross dropped nicely for a Christchurch head to steer the ball past Lynch. Defensively we were static. Not one had challenged.

Christchurch tempo increased. Accurate passing and good movement went unchecked. It proved that some of our team would be better bird watching. Second balls didn't exist. Christchurch claimed ownership.

19 minutes gone and we created space on our left the width of the M3 for the home side to race into. A deep cross luckily fell for Oldring to head clear.

Lynch then made two excellent saves as we found ourselves under the cosh.

Our retaliatory strikes were few and far between. Lovell tried hard to connect with balls slung in from the back but good Christchurch defensive cover blocked any chance of a break through.

Homer floated a free kick into Christchurch box. No one touched it so a golden opportunity drifted wide of the post.

We got a spark back and Saxby hit a left foot shot just wide. Chudy picked up the dead ball and linking with Evans released Saxby again. Saxby's effort was blocked just inside the box and cleared.

Christchurch hit back moving the ball across field. A good cross dropped on the penalty spot but Oldring judged it to the 'nth degree and headed wide to Evans. A counter attack made ground and finished with Hill being blocked from shooting on the edge of the Christchurch box.

We suffered by standing off giving space for the home side to move the ball swiftly through mid field.

Lynch made another good save on the whistle so we went in at half time …

0-1

Saxby was out of the blocks early and raced clear of his marker but only to plant the ball wide.

We pushed up and got caught with 7 minutes of the half gone when a ball was dinked over the middle giving space for a runner to race down the left. Evans had seen the danger and cut across to make a sliding tackle in the box. Penalty. The ball was slammed past Lynch to make it 0-2.

An apparent lack of urgency made us look vulnerable. Christchurch passing was still crisper than ours and we gave away too many balls. In fact it was a toss up which of our players would be given Christchurch's 'Man of the Match'.

The half drifted along with chances for us to narrow the score line but we couldn't put the ball away.

55 minutes and a Christchurch attack down their right opened us up and a low cross was followed in to make it 0-3.

Dyer had come on for Homer and with 30 minutes left hit a rising shot from a cleared corner just over the bar.

We were getting more of the ball but yet again left ourselves exposed at the back with 67 minutes gone and a crossfield ball was knocked in from close up. 0-4.

3 minutes later we almost went 5 down as a quick raid finished with the ball 2 yards off the line but screwed wide.

We grabbed a corner. A melee in the box finished with a half clearance. In came Kelly to hammer the ball past the keeper 1-4.

We were now on top in terms of possession and showing more bite for the ball.

Dyer went wide with Chudy in support. A low ball across the box was hit by Lovell but the keeper made a good catch.

Gajic then blazed a corner over the bar followed by a Saxby shot that whistled over by a few feet.

Pressure was rewarded when after several attempts to break down the Christchurch rear guard Oldring was fouled resulting in a penalty. Up stepped Lovell who made no mistake putting the score at 2-4.

We went for broke. Everyone was now trying hard to get back in the frame. Inevitably pushing too far forward has it's dangers and we got caught with 2 minutes left when a long clearance found an unmarked runner….2-5.

Result 2-5